I have been to this location a few times. I like this location, but the parking can be tough, thus my 4 stars. Other than that, the staff friendly, of course the chicken is great and the rest of the food and tacos are as well. I have been getting the tacos al carbon lately, changing it up from the chicken. They are good and the price is right for a quick lunch. Even a better deal if you use the app to order. I recommend it, you get points for discounts and they give exclusive app deals as well that you can't get when you order in person. The other nice thing about using the app is that you can place your order in advance and walk right in and get your order. Some locations get pretty busy, so things a time saver as well as a money saver. This location is a bit older, could use some updates and a little TLC, but it gets the job done and the staff is nice, that goes along way with me, the food has to be good, but service is very important thing for me. It does not have to be fancy, just good food and nice people make the difference. Enjoy! read more

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El Pollo Loco is located at 1449 East Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena California 91106. It's in a small shopping area that has about three or four stores. It is located near the corner of Hill Avenue and Colorado Boulevard. It is also adjacent to Pasadena City college. It is very popular for lunch and dinner. Students as well families in the area frequent this location. This is a no frills fast food place. Food is always consistent when I have been there and ordered for takeout. There is a small seating area for customers who decide to eat inside. Walking is the best way to get to this establishment. The staff was helpful and friendly when I was there. I appreciated their help as there were a lot of items on the menu. I decided to order Spicy Chicken Nachos, double chicken tostada salad, Chipotle burrito, and 5 piece chicken à la carte. After a short wait the order was completed and I was on my way home. When I got home I was pleased that everything had been packed very carefully. I was eager to try the chicken pieces first. The chicken was good with great flavor and was moist. I even enjoyed some cold the next day. The double tostada salad was filled with chicken pieces and a great selection of lettuce, tomato and spices. The tortilla bowl was crisp and tasty. The Nachos had a nice flavor and spice. I did add some salsa as I was eating. The Chipotle Burrito had a nice flavor was more than one meal. There are other items on the menu that I intend to order the next time I'm there. The chicken bowls, the chips and guacamole are top on the list. Worth the price. But it's definitely a takeout type place. read more

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Ashley at the front is so weird , just stared at me at the register and i'm waiting for her to ask if im ready to order or at least greet me. she looks miserable. also it seems to be a manager since he was wearing a different uniform than the others ... bald head older guy with a beer belly, he was just completely staring me down for 2 minutes and i felt so uncomfortable read more

Two stars for the great customer service but the chicken couldve cooked longer...a shame cause we come here often read more

El Pollo Loco - Fast Food Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Maybe I should be embarrassed to admit this, but I've become something of an El Pollo Loco connoisseur. With three locations within a short drive of my house, I've done plenty of "research" over the past 10+ years and this one is the clear winner. The chicken is always perfectly cooked (never burnt like some other locations), and the chips and churros are consistently fresh, sometimes they even seem made to order. But what really sets this place apart is the people. There's a kind man, who I assume is the owner, who always greets me with a smile. And the fact that so many of the same employees have been here for years makes me think it must be a pretty good place to work, too. It's not fancy food. It's El Pollo Loco. But it's the best possible version of it, made by people who clearly care. If you want El Pollo Loco, this is where you go. And if you don't want El Pollo Loco... maybe you're the loco. read more

Flame broiled chicken from el pollo loco is just pure comfort food to me. Growing up, this fast food chain was a staple in my household -- and, after moving to the east coast, I didn't realize it wasn't everywhere! First time at this location by PCC, and it won't be my last. (unlike the south pasadena location). You can order on the app which usually has deals. My order was for two 8 piece chicken meals. The sides aren't the best so I don't order them. The only one I would order when I'm not on a keto plan is the rice. Otherwise, the sides are something you can miss. My only knock on this location is that they do not have the salsa bar that I'm used to. Instead, you have to ask the front for salsa which opens up the opportunity for someone to be stingy with the salsa. It's just easier to get your own salsa, especially if you like a lot like me and want to use a larger salsa container. (They don't have anymore).Luckily, I didn't have that problem on my first visit. Also, bonus that they have a huge parking lot and friendly service. (Choose this location instead of the one on Fair Oaks) read more

They charge for a cup of water, even if you bought a meal. WTF pollo loco. Quick service tho

This is a busy location at times located near PCC. The parking lot is on the small side. The service is fast. The chicken is tasty and still a good value. The coleslaw and mac n cheese are pretty good. 5 stars, even though its fast food, seems healthier that most plus it's tasty. read more

I went in today to have a nice family meal with friends. I wanted to treat everyone with my EBT card. They have big written on the front entrance door "We take EBT" Guest what! After order I swipe my card and they told me that the EBT machine is broken! You must be kidding me! You should put up a sign for people to know on the front desk that you don't take EBT cards. It was a big inconvenience and because we already ordered I didn't want to walk out. My friends were waiting. What a bait and switch tactic! Please make people aware ahead of time that you don't accept EBT! read more

A overall good experience at this popular Mexican fast food chain. I typically get the 2 piece chicken combo set with rice and beans. The salsa is extremely fresh and tasty, and none of the formulations are extremely spicy. The service is quick, and the restaurant is clean. Will be back! read more

Never thought I'd leave a review for El pollo loco but this location impressed me, very friendly staff, they were all smiling all said have a good day when I left as well... good quality service for a fast food place, and the food was way better than usual. Clean restaurant as well! read more

The chicken can be over cooked and more like chicken jerky than the delicious chicken they claim to serve. They don't care how dried out it is, they'll just serve it to you anyway. read more

COVID-19: Social distancing is not enforced at this establishment. Some of the staff wears a mask. All customers are not expected to wear a mask. It's optional now. Some of the staff also wears gloves. There are some hand sanitizers available for customers to use. This place is available for take outs and has some indoor seating available with no limited capacity. They are not sanitizing in between customers. COVID-19 Vaccination Proof: This establishment currently does not require proof of vaccination. While I was grabbing my food from this establishment several days ago, I asked if they had any special offers and they weren't offering any at the moment. They currently don't have happy hour. They also do not allow pets in their establishment UNLESS it's a service animal. Parking: The parking lot for this establishment is of a small size. Seriously hate this parking lot. This is my least visited El Pollo Loco branch because of the parking lot. Park on the street and walk over. Food: I ordered the BRC burritos. A classic and favorite burrito of mine. The BRC stands for Beans, Rice, and Cheese which means you get protein, carbs, and calcium. It tastes amazing. Everything has a noticeable flavor and texture so it goes well together. Staff: The staff here are very friendly, nice, and fast. They accept both cash and credit cards. There is no credit card minimum. read more

Man I love el pollo loco chicken. I grew up eating fire-grilled chicken and loco salad. I'm happy that el pollo has stayed consistently delicious over the years. Tip: I've found that the chicken and corn taste better in the afternoon compared to the morning. The chicken tastes better when it's been marinated for longer before going on the grill. Make sure not to forget the avocado salsa and pico de gallo! read more

El Pollo Loco - My beautiful taco creation - Fast Food Near Me - Pasadena, California

So far this location is one of the best. Good costumer service, very clean. Food is good definitely worth the driving from alhambra.

This place is close to work, perfect to come on my lunch. The cashier seemed new but friendly not sure who the lady was that was helping her but she was friendly also. The bad part is the small parking. Food is good so makes up for the parking. read more

I been coming to this location for a while but recently I been dealing with a really bad attitude with the manager I really think she has a attitude problem every time we asked her for something she gives me attitude pollo loco needs to do something with this person she need to get fired or teach her how to do her job right she's a very disrespectful person I think she needs to take her pills before she gets to work if u guys want to pay to get attitude ! go to this pollo loco location read more

This is my local EPL and I love the service here. This is the fastest and friendliest crew I've ever seen at any Pollo Loco. Portions are always great and the food is tasty. I wish they brought the salsa bar back and parking was easier. read more

Been going to El Pollo Loco since way back when. First time at this establishment though. During the coronavirus pandemic, no seating is allowed. Area looked clean. Noted the hand gel by the order window which was much appreciated. I wish all restaurants had that. My daughter and I both had coupons thanks to our trusty mail flyers. She ordered the grande avocado bowl for $6.62 and I got the two taco platter which included beans and rice for $5.51. I was disappointed with my order though because they didn't have any spicy shrimp taco so I ended up getting two chicken avocado tacos which tasted good, but I REALLY wanted two different tacos. What bothered me was the fact that it took them awhile to realize that they didn't even have any spicy shrimp tacos! So annoying!! I have the app, so I can earn points towards free food. Scan the bar code on your receipt in order to get your points. read more

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Forgot to take a picture before I started eating! This nachos are amazing.. they are cheap, good quality and delicious.. You gotta love El pollo loco. Staff is super friendly, helpful and nice Love this location 10 out of 10 read more

El Pollo Loco - Fast Food Near Me - Pasadena, California

I ordered catering online but realized I ordered for the wrong day! I called and asked them for a last minute change and they were able to comply and have it ready in such a short time!! They also included a free calendar in our order, which was such a thoughtful touch. I had difficulty canceling the order that I made online, but they cancelled it for me in store and called to confirm my money my refunded! read more

Food is fresh hot and fast people are nice the chicken is juicy and the beans are tasty fresh Avocado cabbage and rice all flavors come together in one bowl. I love it place is very clean read more

El Pollo Loco - Chicken bowl - Fast Food Near Me - Pasadena, California

Came to pick up lunch on a work week. On my way there I saw a great coupon on the app and tried to use it but was having issues. I went in ordered at the counter and show the cashier my QR code and they informed my it had to be an online order BUT instead of just pushing my request to the side, the cashier brought his manager over so she can assist me step-by-step on making sure I got the sale price of the order i made. You don't expect this kind of service at a fast food establishment. they really took the time and effort and care to make sure I was taken care of and that went along way!!! best service I've ever received!! Amazing job el pollo loco team! 5+ star for service! read more

Randy was amazing He checked in with us frequently and made sure we were happy it's my birthday so I was pleased That atmosphere was nice and inviting I ordered the margarita flight it was delicious read more

The chicken is so dry. Wow... Never had an experience like this one. I asked for a 3 piece meal and got a breast cut in half so that's new to me. I guess that's 2 pieces. Then they threw in a wing with just the wing and no leg. So 1.5 pieces charged for the price of 3. Straight up ROBBED! Go somewhere else. They're on some weird protocol. read more

Honestly no complaints here. It's what you'd expect from American fast food mostly. People should stop coming here expecting a restaurant experience or whatever. That being said, my every visit has been very pleasant so far. I call in maybe 10 minutes before and request extra juicy and how many pieces I want. When I get there, cashier has always been friendly and when the chicken is ready, they show me the chicken before packing it up! They actually go out of their way to show it to me! After that, they asked what salsas, tortillas, and anything else I want before they fully pack up my order. I've had good chicken and experiences every time I come here. Not sure if there was a change in manager but yeah, it's like going to a traditional Chinese restaurant expecting 5 star service, you just don't and take it as is, do what you can to set yourself up for success and get some tasty chicken. read more

Ok, so finally found a decent El Pollo Loco. I think the secret is going to the Pasadena area. The only issue is parking can be a problem, I secretly parked in the Jack In the Box Parking lot. Came here with two coupons and asked if I could do two separate transactions, and the worker said she could take both. So I got the double avocado bowl and the taco plate for $5 each. The place was clean and the service was fast. Food was also good, so I'm a fan of this El Pollo Loco! read more

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Just tried the new Birria Beef Taco Box, which included two deep fried tacos filled with shredded stewed Birria beef, shredded cheese, cream and Pico de Gallo salsa, and a side of tortilla chips, both accompanied by Beef Dipping broth. The portion is very generous, and I was full after one taco, but they were so delicious I couldn't stop and ate both. I look forward to getting the special again and hope they'll keep it on the menu. read more

Service was okay but my mom and I came to have a lunch and each item we got came with avocado and they served us both these nasty brown over ripe avocado slices that just put us off our appetites . GROSS !!! Negative stars if I can !!!! read more

El Pollo Loco - Brown over ripe avocados - Fast Food Near Me - Pasadena, California

I spent a while writing a review on yelp and they don' t even show it. 0 stars if I could. El Pollo Loco switched their Chicken Nacho recipe and It's gross, and now they charge double the price for the new product, while giving you less food. read more

The food was as I remembered it when I visited many years ago. I wish we had this restaurant in the Midwest.

By far worst El Pollo Loco I been to. I placed a mobile order and had my mobile receipt and email confirmation yet the manager stated they didn't have my order and refused to provide it even with the confirmation/ proof of my order. The manager was rude and emotional less. Will no longer return and informed my family to not purchase from this location again. read more

This place is a joke. Really useless staff. Feels like they tried to make this disgusting. Out of salsa. No lemons. Only have two tortillas for 3 piece meal. I'm sorry but the chick working there was extremely dumb. read more

I've ordered from this location a few times. Today I placed an order via the app. My husband went to pick up the order and order his burrito with a coupon in person. When we arrived they couldn't find my order, that their system was buggy all day and said I needed to cancel the order on my end. The app doesn't let you cancel. They said to wait five minutes and they could make my order...only to tell us they couldn't make it unless they received it. They said that people in the past have canceled orders to try and get a free meal. After 40 minutes from the time I ordered they told us they would try to cancel my order tomorrow. I asked for the number for corporate but they could only give their store number to talk to the manager tomorrow (they were not in.) I tried calling a corporate number I found online to try and find another solution to get my refund but the customer service representative kept having issues with the call and disconnected. I'm annoyed that there isn't a way to try and cancel or refund this order but I understand that the coworkers have no control of a system made by the company. I'm more upset and embarrassed that they assumed I would try and pull something sketchy. I'm upset that the only solution was to send me away than to try find a better solution. read more

Food is good, service is awful, Victoria is the rudest cashier I have ever encountered, please drop in on your staff, who ever is the manager, your going to loss a lot customers. Help this location . read more

Meh! I ordered a double chicken tostada and I counted only 8 small pieces of chicken. Total rip off. I ordered extra dressing which you have to pay for - and she still had to be reminded to include it. The rest of our order was just okay read more

They don't pay attention to the order. Multiple times I got no dressing or sauce for my tostada and they completely forgot the rice & beans. Didn't realize until I got home. read more

I have been coming to this particular location all the way from Glendale. On my last visit Adella took my order and she was so helpful in making sure the chicken was done the way I wanted to and she made some suggestions that other places don't usually do.. This place is managed by Olivia and she makes sure the place is clean and the chicken is done to perfection. Please keep up the good work Olivia, and thank you Adella. read more

This is the closest El Pollo to my location. I always get the family meal (20$ 8 piece leg and thigh, 2 large sides). I also try and hold off for the monthly(kind of?) coupons I get in the mail. This coupon is 25$ for 16 piece leg and thigh / 3 large sides. The chicken is always a hit or miss here. There have been times I've came where the chicken was as dry as leather and other times where you can feel the juices oozing out after every bite. I think I'm more addicted to the fact that you can build your own little taco. I get a ton of cilantro, onions, sauces from the sauce bar! Their corn side is really good. It's a tad sweet (good thing). Their mac n cheese and potato and gravy is good too. Can't really go wrong on those 2, so get them if you like them! 4x star just for my last visit. Customer service is there...they do their job and aren't rude or anything. They always pack up the food pretty quick as well where before I even finish packing my sauces to go, they already called my name. Chicken was delicious and made my room smell of El Pollo for the next hour. Parking is a pain here. Parking lot is small and the park spots are small. Only positive is that there are always people going in and out pretty quick. Worse case is I would go down 1 street more on Harkness and walk over. read more

El Pollo Loco - At home meal - Fast Food Near Me - Pasadena, California

I ordered through their website. It would NOT allow you to use a gift card. Then the delivery part takes you to DoorDash. The meals arrived with no drink even though the dasher asked if there was any drinks and it show drink on the receipt! They also left out my salad dressing. After calling the restaurant the said " you'll have to contact DoorDash. Door dash has no recorded of this order! read more